My Back Pages by Richard Charkin

Well-known publisher and industry organizer Richard Charkin’s memoir, My Back Pages: an undeniably personal history of publishing 1972-2022, coming out on April 17, 2023.

The cover of My Back Pages credits Tom Capmbell with helping write the 174-page book published by the UK publisher Marble Hill Publishers. Marble Hill has a good track record with memoirs. When you click through to their site, be sure to read the The Story Behind segment of the page by Francis Bennet. It really adds some depth to the book.

I love books like this. They are equal parts peek-behind-the-curtain tidbits and thoughtful insights into one of the grandest of professions: book publishing. No doubt there were a lot of stories and facts to check when digging back through Charkin’s 50-year professional life. I first heard of Charkin when he became President of the International Publishers Association a few years ago. But reading the book description, Charkin has a lot of other experiences to draw from:

“Over the past half-century, he has been (at different times) a scientific and medical publisher, a journal publisher, a digital publisher, and a general publisher. He has worked for family-owned, publicly-owned, and university-owned companies and start-ups. In this memoir, he uses his unrivaled experience to illustrate the profound changes that have affected the identity and practices but not the purpose of publishing.”

Here’s hoping the book delivers on what the jacket claims is the primary goal of the book:

“…[the] primary purpose is to provide an insider’s account of the social, technological, commercial and geographical developments as seen through the eyes of a gifted all-round publisher who has made a very significant contribution to the profession.”

Now that is something that would be worth reading. I always liken books like this to the experience of sitting down for a drink and talking shop a bit with a truly knowledgeable publishing industry figure who has tons of first-hand experience and stories to share.

Here’s to hoping this one is not stuffy or dry but lives up to what I know it could be. I’m looking forward to reading My Back Pages this year. Remember that Charkin’s book hits bookstore shelves on April 17, 2023.